[Sidenote: Conceit]
Conquering pertness and conceit by an opposite spirit was practiced by
Fannie Fleming, who taught the district school on the upper Gila River,
New Mexico. She had Joe Rogers, a son of a Texas renegade, for a pupil.
He ranged over the whole program of studies and, backed by his father,
made himself independent of several regulations in the school.
“I don’t believe you know very much about how they grow rice. You never
was in Texas, was you?” said Joe one day in geography class. “I know,”
he continued, “I was born in Texas. I seen ’em raise rice.”
This outburst was not surprising in view of the pert attitudes and
assumptions Joe frequently displayed.
Miss Fleming looked straight into Joe’s eyes and let her countenance
show sternness without resentment, as she said, “Joe, I want to ask you
some questions so that you may tell the class all you know about the
rice culture.” She soon exhausted his resources and then continued,
“Well, I’ll help you out a little, Joe. You did very well, but there’s
more to say.”
She found Joe sinking away somewhat as she told one thing after another
which was new to him. This gave her a clue. Miss Fleming made it a point
to meet him on every issue by drawing out all his information until he
lay helpless, though uninjured, upon the dry land of his own ignorance.
Then she helped him. There was no ridicule, no faultfinding, no scorn in
manner or in voice, but an unrelenting exhaustion on every possible
occasion.
Joe recovered. He found that he could learn many new and interesting
facts from his teacher. Her unfailing politeness and uniform kindliness
toward him finally taught him good manners.
(3) _Laughing in school._ Occasionally a teacher goes _too_ far in
trying to meet the pupils half way.